


The Type You Bring Home For Christmas

by unsernameinuse



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Home for Christmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 04:54:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13139487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unsernameinuse/pseuds/unsernameinuse
Summary: The fallout when Barry brings home a super-villian for Christmas.





	The Type You Bring Home For Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own any superheros.

It always warmed his chilly little heart, the way Barry’s eyes lit up when he came around.  “Hi,” Barry said. Then, softer: “I was expecting the pizza guy.”

 Leonard arched an eyebrow. “Disappointed?”

 Barry’s grin could have split his face. “The opposite.”

 “Bar, get the pizza and close the door! It’s getting cold!” Someone yelled from inside. Barry and Leonard both froze, eyes locked.

 “One second,” Barry called back. He stepped outside and closed the West’s front door behind him. Suddenly they were much closer than before, the warmth Barry emitted invading Leonard’s personal space. “Sorry,” Barry said in a soft, sheepish tone. “I kinda forgot they were here.”

 There was always a small, clinical part of Leonard that was still fascinating by his reaction to Barry (and maybe that small part had a few degrading names to call him, but that’s beside the point). Just locking eyes could cause his shriveled lump of coal heart to stutter, but he didn’t betray it on the outside.

 “Family Christmas gathering?” He murmured. He chose to ignore that sadness-it _better_ not have been pity-that flickered through Barry’s eyes at that word.

 “Yeah,” Barry said. He glanced over his shoulder at the warmth spilling from the windows and when he looked back his eyes were soft. “Caitlin made some special eggnog that should be able to get me drunk, so. It’s about to get wild in there.” As if to confirm his statement, Cisco’s delighted whooping came through the door loud and clear.

 “Well,” said Leonard. “Sounds like your cue. I’ve got to go anyway, just wanted to drop by.” He leaned in and stole a soft kiss, which turned into several kisses, each one harder to break away from.

 “You should stay.” Barry sighed into his lips. Barry’s embrace made it difficult to step back for an incredulous look, but Len managed. Barry couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, maybe not.” He admitted.

 “I’m not exactly in a hurry for your adoptive family to have me drawn and quartered.” Len agreed.

It just went to show how wrapped up in each other they were that neither of them heard someone approaching until the door was flung open, releasing the heat from inside and revealing Iris’ annoyed expression.

 “Barry what are you _doing_ ?” she demanded to know, before fully taking in the sight in front of her and raising her eyebrows. “Or rather _who_.” she said. Len recognized her tone for what is was: the blend of reproof, teasing, and warning of potential blackmail that only a sister could pull off.

 “Who’s Barry doing?” Cisco called.

 “What?” said Caitlin.

 “Drawn and quartered.” Len groaned into Barry’s shoulder.

 “I don’t know _what’s_ going on but somebody better close that door.” Joe called from the kitchen.

 “Well,” said Iris as the pizza delivery truck pulled up. “Are you coming in or not?”

 

+++

 

“It’ll be fine.” Barry promised in a whisper as he took Len’s hand and tugged him forward. Famous last words, in Leonard’s opinion.

Iris was still taking stock of the situation while Caitlin and Cisco stared with their jaws hanging open. Caitlin’s eyes kept darting from Leonard, to Barry, to their intertwined hands and back again, as if looking for the missing part of the puzzle. Like a gun pressed to Barry’s side.

 “You look weird without the parka.” Cisco said finally. Len pinned him to his seat with a warning glare. “...weird in a good way. All black, fashion forward, loving it-”

 “Stop talking.”

 “Yup.”

 The awkward silence was only broken by Cisco noisily slurping down his eggnog.

 “What’s the big deal?” Wally said casually from his seat in the corner with a plate full of Christmas cookies. “Ya’ll homophobic or somethin?”  


“No,” Iris said to her younger brother. “We always knew Barry was into guys,” She eyed Leonard critically and he stared right back, “We just didn’t know he was also into career criminals.”

“So,” Barry said loudly, scratching the back of his head in that nervous way he had. “You all know Leonard-”

  
“Hmmm, let me think,” Caitlin said mildly. “Evil guy, scary gun? Loves stealing things, killing people, and generally ruining lives? I think I’ve heard of him.” This earned her a high five from Cisco and an alarmed look from Wally. 

“I don’t kill people anymore.” Len offered. Barry’s sigh told him it wasn’t helpful.

“What the hell-,” Joe said from the doorway. Barry threw himself between them before he had time to find his gun.

“Joe, it’s okay,” Barry said. “I invited him.”

“And why on _earth_ would you do that?” Joe demanded, hand on the hilt of his weapon. Len found the picture of a man in a santa hat and jacket drawing a gun on him almost funny.

Almost.

Barry was a superhero. Barry could turn back time. Len had seen his boyfriend face mind boggling, horrifying monsters without a shred of fear to be found. And yet in this moment his voice was low and apologetic, his eyes pleading for forgiveness when he said “Um. Because we’re...dating. Kind of. He’s-it’s. Yeah.”

“Barry seriously man, is this a prank?” said Cisco “Because dude, real talk, I’mma be so mad if you started the Christmas prank tradition without me.”

“Okay,” Joe clapped his hands together, apparently having come to a decision. “West-Allen family meeting. In the kitchen. Right now. Cisco, Caitlin, keep an eye on Snart.”

Barry mouthed “ _best behavior_ ” over his shoulder as his family dragged him out of the room.

Then Leonard was alone with a wary Cisco and Caitlin and the peppy refrain of “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” bouncing over the radio.

Well, he decided, if he was going to get murdered for love he might as well have some cookies first.

 

+++

 

“Maybe he got a new gun,” Joe suggested. “One that brainwashes people.”

“Joe.” said Barry, at the same time as Iris said “Dad.”

“I just, Bar, I don’t understand it.” Joe dropped his santa hat on the kitchen counter and ran his hand over his head in frustration. “After all that he’s done.”

“He's trying to be better,” Barry said with conviction. “He's been helping the families of people he hurt. I realized what he was trying to do and started helping him. Then we started to bond and now. Now we're-"

“Boyfriends?” Wally supplied. He was still the least agitated of the group despite Caitlin's worries. Barry ducked his head, but not before his family caught the blush on skin too pale to hide it.

“Oh my god,” Iris said in wonder “This is really serious, isn't it? How long?”

Barry head hung lower, if that was possible. He fiddled with his ugly Christmas sweater hem. “Uh, ten months.”

“Ten MONTHS!” Joe barely kept himself from shouting in his disbelief.

Iris’ eyebrows shot up. “Barry...you’ve been hiding him for nearly a year?”

Barry wanted to shrink into himself at the looks of hurt on their faces. “At first it was casual and it didn't matter. Then I was afraid of how you would react and It snowballed. I'm sorry.” he said.

“Are you kidding me?” Joe said, voice tight. “I'm the one who's sorry.” He shook his head, ashamed. “You love whoever you want, Bar. I trust you and I'll always support you, I was just surprised.”

“And worried,” Iris added. “But if you care about him this much there must be a lot about him we're not seeing.”

 "There is, I swear."

Iris drew him into a hug, then Wally joined, and lastly Joe.

“I’m still watching him though.” Joe said grumpily as they pulled apart.

Barry smiled. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

  


Later that night they all sang and danced to Christmas carols in front of the tree. Iris unearthed an extra santa hat for Len and after that everyone found him much less intimidating. They ate cookies and pizza and drank eggnog and by the end of the night, while there was still mistrust and worry to be sorted through, Christmas had worked it’s magic.

Len woke up in the morning on the couch next to Barry. Joe was whistling in the kitchen and he could hear Iris, Cisco, and Caitlin moving around upstairs.

This wasn’t how his Christmases usually went. Sometimes he went the whole winter without really noticing it had happened. This was one more thing Barry had given him, a life that felt like it belonged to someone else. He hooked his chin over Barry’s shoulder and closed his eyes. He didn't want to wake up just yet.


End file.
